Nam Ji Hyun is returning to the small screen in a role that places her at the heart of a strict, tradition-bound household. Her upcoming drama, Make Me Tingle, has released new stills that show her character, Gong Yeon Su, living a life that feels far removed from modern-day Seoul. The eldest daughter of the family’s main branch, Gong Yeon Su is a woman who follows the old ways at home while working as a trend-savvy marketer in the office. The contrast sets up the central tension of the series, which premieres on October 15.
A Day Shaped by Tradition
The new stills offer a clear look at Gong Yeon Su’s daily routine. She begins her mornings seated around a refreshment table with the elders of her family, sharing stories before the day begins. Even as everyone else rushes to start their morning, the family gathers to spend time together in a way that feels unusual for the 21st century. She listens attentively to lengthy life lessons from her grandparents without losing her gentle smile, a detail that hints at a patient and thoughtful nature.
Her responsibilities go well beyond conversation. Gong Yeon Su is shown preparing for an ancestral memorial rite in a kitchen filled with countless dishes. With her hair tied up neatly, she fries jeon (savory pancakes) with practiced ease. She also helps transfer well-fermented cheonggukjang (soybean paste) into containers, part of a family tradition of making its own fermented soybean paste. Dried, fermented soybean blocks hang in abundance in the adjoining room, a visual reminder of how deeply the household is rooted in customs that have been passed down through generations.
The Oldest Daughter’s Double Life
Gong Yeon Su’s life is split in two. At home, she is the eldest daughter of the main branch, bound by expectations and rituals that have been part of her family for generations. Outside the house, she works as a marketer who understands trends and connects with modern consumers. The show’s production team has described her as a Confucian girl to the bone, raised in a household where courtesy and discipline mean everything. Her principles about dating and love are conservative, and she has followed them strictly.
That strictness extends to small things. She is cautious about public displays of affection, even with her own boyfriend, a detail that reflects how deeply her upbringing has shaped her approach to relationships. She believes in love but has never truly figured out what it means for her.
When a Marketer Meets a Sex Toy CEO
Gong Yeon Su’s ordered world begins to shift when she crosses paths with Dokgo Dal (played by Kim Jae Yeong), the CEO of a sex toy startup. Where she is careful, he is casual. Where she believes in love as something sacred, he sees sex as a simple and efficient form of connection and dismisses love as nothing more than a hormonal illusion. Their first meeting sets up a clash between two people who could hardly have more different ideas about relationships.
Their connection starts as a work arrangement. Gong Yeon Su is an advertiser, and Dokgo Dal is the head of an agency. The professional tie pulls her into the world of his company, and her values are tested when she is tasked with advertising products that go against everything she was raised to believe. The two clash frequently, often shocked by each other’s words and actions. Yet as their paths keep crossing, their opposing views begin to cause an unexpected connection to form.
Beneath Dokgo Dal’s sharp exterior is a lonely man shaped by neglect. Gong Yeon Su’s presence starts to unsettle the beliefs he has built around himself, just as his world begins to open up new questions for her. The production team shared that there were many interesting moments during the script reading as the characters naturally clashed whenever their differing values came into play.
A Romance Built on Opposite Views
Make Me Tingle is a 10-episode romantic comedy that follows two people who challenge each other’s beliefs and gradually reconsider what modern love means. Nam Ji Hyun delivers her lines with a confident tone that captures Gong Yeon Su’s iron-clad romantic views, while Kim Jae Yeong brings an easygoing delivery to Dokgo Dal’s unbiased mindset. The playful back-and-forth between the two actors is said to fill the room with a sense of excitement whenever their characters collide.
The series was created by Ju Hwa-mi and Kang Eun-kyung, with Ahn Sae-bom serving as writer and Kim Ye-ji as director. Executive producers include Jung Keun-wook, Choi Han-kyul, Park Hyeon-ji, and Park Min-seol.
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When and Where to Watch
Make Me Tingle will premiere on October 15 on TVING in South Korea. The first four episodes will be released at once, followed by two new episodes every Thursday. The finale is scheduled for November 5. For audiences around the world, the series will be available on HBO Max, with the same release schedule. Fans in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India can stream the show through HBO Max from the premiere date.
The drama reunites Nam Ji Hyun and Kim Jae Yeong, who previously appeared together in 100 Days My Prince. Nam Ji Hyun is known for her roles in Good Partner, To My Beloved Thief, and The Crowned Clown. Kim Jae Yeong has appeared in The Judge from Hell, I Dol I, and Love in Contract.
Also Read: Make Me Tingle Teaser: Kim Jae Yeong Shakes Up Nam Ji Hyun’s Strict Views on Love
For more K-drama release dates and streaming guides, keep reading VvipTimes.
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